Back surgery?

I have been having a great deal of pain in my hips/groin/legs for the past few months. I can't stand or walk for long before there is stabbing pain mainly in the right groin area and then down that leg.

An MRI revealed deterioration of the bones below the spine resulting in pinched nerves. I've had epidural injections which have provided some but not a whole lot of relief.

Last week I saw a neurosurgeon. He advised surgery, more specifically Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion*.

This would require several days in the hospital and then three or four weeks in a rehab place.

I'm terrified at the prospect!

The surgeon said this is not something to rush into, and to talk it over with family and get more information. I have another appointment with him May 2. I also would like to get at least a second opinion before making any decisions.

Have any of you ever had surgery like this or have anyone close to you who has? Or know anything more about it or have good leads on other surgeons?

I wish you all the best Phesina!! This surgery gave me a new life! I am so happy with the result!!

Thank you, Lut! This was extremely interesting. Did you have your work done there in Texas? I'm so glad that your surgery went so well and you are doing so much better!

It looks like the Ann Arbor Spine Center does something similar (see "Total Disc Replacement" on the Orthopedics Animations page), but I guess this particular surgeon doesn't think it would be suitable for me.

Pat

I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?"
Death thought about it.
CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.

Pat, I'm sorry to hear this. I don't know anything about back surgery, so can't help, but in any case it's always good to get a second opinion. If you do decide to get surgery, I hope it will be a success and you will be painfree.

Sending lots of good thougts and hugs.

"I don't know which weapons will be used in the third World war, but in the fourth, it will be sticks and stones" --- Albert Einstein.

Thank you, Lut! This was extremely interesting. Did you have your work done there in Texas? I'm so glad that your surgery went so well and you are doing so much better!

In Texas??? I live in Belgium , we have good surgeons here too , LOL

ps. Randi is right, Pat, be sure to get a good second opinion! I did that too, I also contacted people who'd got this surgery. Seeing their progress, was a great relief to me! A few months later, I was also contacted by a man who needed to have it done as well. I gave him good advise and I also went to the hospital a few days after his surgery; I did this to show him how good my back was; he told me that my visit made him really believe he would get better too!

Been there, Pat. I had a lumbar fusion and laminectomy of L4, L5, S1 back in Dec 2010. I had pressure from narrowing and degenerative discs, and pressure on nerves that was causing a great deal of pain in my hip and thigh - down to my knee. Doc went in and cleaned up all the junk and "frayed areas" and fused the vertebrae with rods and screws. I was in the hospital for 3 days, and had hardly any discomfort at all from the surgery. It was about 6 weeks till I was back to full function, and I never even did the physical therapy that I was supposed to have. Bad me - and doc just shook his head in disbelief that I did so well even without it. Anyway - I was finally pain free. That is until last November when I took a nasty fall when I was in NC. I was in misery and I knew I did some major damage. I finally got to see my spine surgeon in Baltimore when I got back here in January, and the x-rays and MRI confirmed the damage. The hardware on one side of the fused area collapsed and pulled the vertebrae above it out of line and to one side, so now it's more surgery to repair all the damage and stabilize the newly messed up vertebrae. I was scheduled for this surgery on March 24th, but had to postpone. I just called doc's office today to get the ball rolling on a new date, since I just can't continue to function like this much longer. I can't walk without a cane now, and I'm on some fairly potent pain killers. I need to get back to "normal" - whatever that may be. Doc said I'd be in the hospital for 3 - 5 days for this one, and "maybe" some inpatient rehab - depending on how things go.

So if you need to have this done, then don't hesitate. I guarantee that you'll be pain free, and then kick yourself for not having it done sooner. It's really not a painful surgery at all - at least it wasn't for me...

I'd refer you to my surgeon, but he's in Baltimore. Long drive !!! You can go to the Univ of MD Medical Center website and read up about the various spine surgeries. Or you can just Google doc's name "Dr Steven C. Ludwig", and it will take you to that site too

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1

The clock of life is wound but once and no man has the power
To know just when the hands will stop - on what day, or what hour.
Now is the only time you have, so live it with a will -
Don't wait until tomorrow - the hands may then be still.
~~~~true author unknown~~~~

ps. Randi is right, Pat, be sure to get a good second opinion! I did that too, I also contacted people who'd got this surgery. Seeing their progress, was a great relief to me! A few months later, I was also contacted by a man who needed to have it done as well. I gave him good advise and I also went to the hospital a few days after his surgery; I did this to show him how good my back was; he told me that my visit made him really believe he would get better too!

Thanks, Lut.

I know you live in Belgium! I was so surprised when the site links you gave me went to this place in Texas. I wondered, you went all the way to Texas to get this done? When ever would this have been, because in all the time I've known you here, I've never seen any mention of a trip to Texas.

I'm sure you had a fine surgeon there in Belgium . His clinic or hospital doesn't have a web site telling about it?

I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?"
Death thought about it.
CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.

Been there, Pat. I had a lumbar fusion and laminectomy of L4, L5, S1 back in Dec 2010. I had pressure from narrowing and degenerative discs, and pressure on nerves that was causing a great deal of pain in my hip and thigh - down to my knee. Doc went in and cleaned up all the junk and "frayed areas" and fused the vertebrae with rods and screws. I was in the hospital for 3 days, and had hardly any discomfort at all from the surgery. It was about 6 weeks till I was back to full function, and I never even did the physical therapy that I was supposed to have. Bad me - and doc just shook his head in disbelief that I did so well even without it. Anyway - I was finally pain free. That is until last November when I took a nasty fall when I was in NC. I was in misery and I knew I did some major damage. I finally got to see my spine surgeon in Baltimore when I got back here in January, and the x-rays and MRI confirmed the damage. The hardware on one side of the fused area collapsed and pulled the vertebrae above it out of line and to one side, so now it's more surgery to repair all the damage and stabilize the newly messed up vertebrae. I was scheduled for this surgery on March 24th, but had to postpone. I just called doc's office today to get the ball rolling on a new date, since I just can't continue to function like this much longer. I can't walk without a cane now, and I'm on some fairly potent pain killers. I need to get back to "normal" - whatever that may be. Doc said I'd be in the hospital for 3 - 5 days for this one, and "maybe" some inpatient rehab - depending on how things go.

So if you need to have this done, then don't hesitate. I guarantee that you'll be pain free, and then kick yourself for not having it done sooner. It's really not a painful surgery at all - at least it wasn't for me...

I'd refer you to my surgeon, but he's in Baltimore. Long drive !!! You can go to the Univ of MD Medical Center website and read up about the various spine surgeries. Or you can just Google doc's name "Dr Steven C. Ludwig", and it will take you to that site too

WOW, Ellie! Thanks SO much! This is really helpful information.

I'm so sorry you had the fall in NC resulting in so much re-damage. How painful that must be! I hope you can get this fixed up soon.

I will take a look at U-MD and your doctor on the web when I have a little more time.

Thanks again, and I hope things will be fixed up again for you soon.

I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?"
Death thought about it.
CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.